Is tribalism an unalloyed “bad?” Do we need to be a part of a tribe? The standard of living nearly all of us enjoy today far surpasses that of royalty from only a few generations ago.
How should we understand the pitfalls of modernity and wealth, and what should we do about them? This episode was a powerful way to end the year on EconTalk, as host Russ Roberts welcomed bestselling author Sebastian Junger to talk bout his book, Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging.
Why do people get along better in times of crisis? Why do we crave movies and TV shows that depict crises and their resolution? Have you faced real crisis in your life? How did it change your outlook, and how did it change the way you interact with others?
1- Junger starts Tribe with what Roberts calls a “crazy bit of anthropology” from early America. What is this phenomenon he describes, and what’s so striking about it? What do you suppose the appeal to the way of life of “heathens in the wilderness” was?
2- In describing western societies’ experience in times of crisis, Junger asserts that we instinctively put other people first at such times, for good evolutionary reasons. What does he suggest about human evolution to explain this, and to what extent are you convinced by his thesis?
3- Why does Junger believe PTSD is so much more prevalent in soldiers returning from combat today than in the past? Is saying, “Thank you for your service” cheap and/or condescending, as Roberts hesitantly suggests? (Roberts and I do it; do you?)
4- Do current trends in technology and urbanization make it more or less difficult for individuals to find their tribe? Is it possible to have a collective life in an urban setting? What about social media- does it build or destroy community? What’s been your experience?
5- What does Junger mean when he says, “freedom is a political contract”? He finds a threat to national security in political discourse today. What’s the nature of this threat, and what might be done to mitigate it? Is the threat as serious as Junger suggests? Explain.
Super nerd bonus question: To what extent is it possible to include our apparent need for human connection in individual utility functions? Roberts calls this absence “the weak spot of modern economics.” What can be done to fix it?
READER COMMENTS
Paul Myslinski
Feb 12 2019 at 10:44am
Just finished listening to Tribe on audiobook after discovering it through Econtalk (thanks Econtalk!). It was a very thought provoking book.
The draws of Tribal life in the history/anthropology part of the book were very interesting. My take on it is that colonial life was harsh and dangerous, and that tribal/native life – the egalitarianism, ethics, and ability to band together for the tribe offered more security (some of it psychological, not just physical) and happiness to colonists and early Americans.
Junger is suggesting that humans put others first in times of crisis because we evolved to prioritize our children (our genes) and family’s survival over our own if our life is in danger.
It sounds like PTSD is more prevalent in modern times possibly due to misdiagnosis, but there seems to be a core issue that war and danger force veterans to experience a tribal community that is closer to human nature than modern life, and lacking when veterans return to society. Also, PTSD seemed to be less prevalent after the Blitz and war experiences that impacted the civillian population — because the civillian population shared that common experience with veterans, it made the transition back much easier for veterans.
Tech and urbanization seem to be making our existence more and more comfortable and easy over time and therefore less tribal. So I live in Fishtown, a gentrifying neighborhood in Philadelphia, and have been there for over 8 years. I can definitely say that the old residents and new residents tended to form into separate tribes and viewed each other as an enemy/danger, even if the incoming new residents made the area significantly safer and increased home values. It seems like danger, real or perceived, is what galvanizes people to band together and find community.
Junger identifies tribal components in the politics of both the left and the right. The political contract component of freedom and rights is pretty clear. I have to respect the freedom of others for them to respect mine. However, in modern society, the large volume of people creates an anonymity and lack of consequences for our actions that seems to encourage lots of bad behavior.
(Bonus) I think there is something to this. I would like to see more research around positive and negative externalities. Adam Smith talks about the person on the other side of the globe getting killed in an earthquake versus you losing your own pinky finger, and which one you likely care about more. I think this is a huge issue in the modern age. Through things like pollution and financial fraud, bad actors in the economy are able to pocket their profits and basically exploit the global populous – and there are no consequences (other than the wealth they obtain). There are positive externalities as well, like social responsibility and B-Corporations, but I think there could be a better alignment of incentives to encourage good behavior and discourage bad actors.
Comments are closed.